Submissions

Do you have ideas and visions you would like to share with the world? Are you or the thoughts connected to Africa, especially where that meets America? Then welcome home! Please drop an email or submission for publication consideration to Ibe[at]Atlanticrock[dot]com.

If you submitting a…

Poem – make sure it is original, originally and wholly yours. It doesn’t have to be expertly crafted, but it shouldn’t be like one you wrote in 5th grade either. (Except if you are in 5th grade.) It has to show some maturity and depth. Don’t worry about meters and all that jazz some circles use to keep poetry out of reach; we all know a poem when we see it. Don’t be so deep with your metaphors that only you know what the hell you are talking about. Then we are good.

Short Story – Make it 1500 words or less. If you absolutely must, maybe 2000 words. We live in a Twitter universe, people don’t have time to read long pieces if it’s not an eBook or something in the New Yorker. Keep it short and leave them wanting more. Special interest to the slightly fantastic. It doesn’t have to be full-blown sci-fi, but don’t be bound by all that is human and reality as we know it today. Not to say that a short story about a trip to the grocery store will not be considered.

Non-Fiction – Opinions are like you know what, right? If you are not saying something new, nobody wants to hear it. Be true and unique and we will hail you as the next [insert your favorite observer of the human condition.] Politics is ok, but ranting is so tiring. Tell us something about you or those close to you, maybe how that very big topic the whole world is talking about manifests itself in your relatively very small world. THAT is the magic!

AR Journal – Here are some upcoming topics

Coming to America – Yeah, I love the movie too. But we all didn’t come here as Prince Hakeem. How did you come to be in America? What was your first year like?

Activist Issue – Are you an activist? What are you passionate about? Why? What is your journey to being an activist? What’s the fight like?

Non-Profit Issue – Do you have a non-profit organization—you started or currently lead? What is the gap you are filling? What inspired you to start this organization? What keeps you going? What have you done thus far? What does success look like?

The Professional Issue – Let’s learn from YOUR success in the corporate world. What do you currently do, what was your path to here, what are some lucky and strategic moves that got you to where you are, what are some lesson learned?

The Student Issue – Especially college students, take us through a day in the life of a student at your school. What are some things you have to navigate to get the education you wish to get? Imagine your young cousin is looking at schools to go to, what would you say to them about your school and your life in it?

The Expats Issue – I don’t even know if expat is the word, but did you recently move back to Africa after a significant period in the West? What was your motivation/inspiration? How is it going thus far?

If you are interested in contributing to any of the above topics, again drop a note, about you or the contribution itself if you already have something written. If you are contributing a piece, please make sure it is around 750 words.